Tom Leykis celebrates the first anniversary of his digital talk show Tuesday. It is not making a profit yet, because of start-up costs, but he is optimistic it will by the end of the year.

Here Leykis talks with Talkers magazine associate Mike Kinosian:

"In terms of listenership and media recognition, we are ahead of where we expected to be at this point." The venture got off the ground after Leykis' old contract with CBS expired and he was able to move ahead on his own. Using Triton Digital's Webcast Metrics, Leykis says he is on a projected pace of 9.6 million connections for 2013. This version of his show is embarking on new frontiers but he says he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Many people in the radio business, including some I really respect, said I was insane. They felt I had a long history in radio and should not be walking away from it at this time. I was leaving the big-box, broadcasting business to be in the hand-crafted, small-batch business. This is a boutique content company

Kinosian asked Leykis to explained how it all works:

"The New Normal as a company actually debuted in March of 2010. In that year, we introduced The Gary & Dino Show, New Normal Music, and Leykis101.com.

"'The Tom Leykis Show' debuted as a New Normal production on April 2, 2012.

"We average seven minutes an hour of commercials, compared to up to 28 minutes an hour when we were at KLSX.

"We are positioned to earn our first annual profit this year. Last year, a host of startup costs and the technical issues that come with doing something new delayed our profit into 2013. However, unlike radio, we didn't celebrate the holidays by firing employees as many big companies did.

People use every method to listen to our show except for a traditional radio appliance or the Clear Channel-owned IHeartRadio.

We can be heard on iPhones, Android smartphones using apps including TuneIn and Stitcher Smart Radio, on PCs and Macs through any major media player such as Windows Media Player, Winamp, iTunes, etc.

SONG SURVEY

Last week we asked for you to name your favorite and least favorite songs on the radio. Here are some responses:

Robert Salti – Favorite: "Hello Goodbye" by the Beatles. Least: "The Wedding Song" by Paul Stookey or "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle.

Chris Mader – "I didn't want to over think this one so I went with the fist two songs that popped into my head." ... I'm from Ann Arbor, Mich. I love everything Detroit and everything Seger but my least favorite song in the world is, "Old Time Rock and Roll." Maybe it's too many wedding receptions at the DFW Hall or because Tom Cruise ruined it forever but whenever it come on the radio goes off.

"On the other side, 'Brown Eyed Girl' always gets cranked to 10!!! No special memories attached. I just love to hear it."

John Besser – Favorite song to hear: "Take it Easy" (Eagles). Great to wake up to, or cruise down coast highway and listen to. A close #2 is "La Grange" (ZZ Top), and probably 10 other songs, depending on the mood.

Least favorite, and the most annoying song ever recorded: "Roxanne" (The Police). Was Sting inhaling helium when he "sang" this? It's more annoying than scratching a blackboard.

Joe Robinson - Favorite song: "Caught Up in You" by 38 Special.

Least favorite: any rap songs by anybody! Ugh!

OUR NEW SURVEY

This week, two survey questions-

1. What is your favorite podcast?

2. If you are a SiriusXm subscriber, what is your favorite program or channel?

K-JAZZ PLEDGE DRIVE

Public radio station KKJZ (KJazz) 88.1 FM, a service of California State University, Long Beach, has announced it raised more than $433,000 during its just-concluded spring fund drive – this is the most successful fund drive to date for the radio station and the largest number of pledges overall.

The money raised during the membership drives helps pay for programming costs at the station, along with free concerts in the community, four paid student internships, and four jazz scholarships. Member donations are its largest source of income.

RADIO REWIND

March 30, 1946: United Broadcasting Company put experimental FM station W8XUB on the air in Cleveland. It became a commercial station in 1947 as WHKX and later changed call letters to WHK-FM. Today the station is album-rock WMMS, "The Buzzard."

March 31, 1922: Packard dealer Earle C. Anthony was granted a license for KFI. He built a 50-watt transmitter on his kitchen table and put the station on the air April 16, broadcasting from his Packard dealership.

April 1, 1988: KRLA became "A Thing Of The Past," featuring old music and jingles with Ted Quillin recreating the sound of KFWB 1958, Johnny Hayes recreating the sound of KRLA 1963, and the Real Don Steele recreating the sound of KHJ 1968.

April 4, 1938: After seven years of hosting "Kate Smith Sings" on CBS Radio, Smith also began hosting a daily talk show, "Kate Smith Speaks." She was heard on radio until 1947.

April 5, 1922: KOB, New Mexico's first radio station, was licensed to New Mexico College of Agriculture & Mechanic Arts (now New Mexico State University) in Las Cruces. The station moved to Albuquerque in 1933 and today is news-talk KKOB.

DR. DREW, CAROLLA

Adam Carolla and Dr. Drew Pinsky have reunited the partnership that made Loveline a wild success and cultural touchstone for a new podcast and Live Reunion Tour, according to a press release. In just three short months, "The Adam & Dr. Drew Show" has skyrocketed to No. 1 on iTunes. There are 22 new episodes currently available for download at www.AdamCarolla.com and on iTunes.

KWIZ REUNION

Santa Ana's KWIZ Radio continues to have a loyal fan base of employees after all these years. Larry Grannis calls them the "Old Radio DJs." They met recently at Gulliver's restaurant to share memories over lunch.

"Grannis added, "Meanwhile, nationally syndicated Bill Martinez Live continues to add markets, including KBXD in Dallas, WHK Cleveland and WEZE Boston. And more recently we are doing a special financial news hour simulcast for Art Astor's 1510AM KSPA and 1450AM KFSD covering north San Diego County, the Inland Empire and north Orange County. The show airs Monday through Friday 3-4 p.m."

STATION BREAKS

Orange County Register business writer Jon Lansner is on KFWB/980 AM at 8:12 a.m. Fridays.

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